Improvement in ratchet bit-stocks



H. o. HART. Ratchet Bit-Stock. v No. 207,964. Patented Sept. 10.1878

UNITED STATES PATENT Orrron HIIBERT C. HART, OF UNIONVILLE, ASSIGNOR TO P. & F. CORBIN, OF NEW BRITAIN, CONNECTICUT.

IMPROVEMENT IN RATCHET BIT-STOCKS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 207,964, dated September 10, 1878; application filed July 26, 1878.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HIIBERT C. HART, of Unionville, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ratchet- Braces, of which the following is a specification:

Ratchet-braces having a ratchet wheel or wheels secured to the bit-holder and springpawls engaging said ratchet wheel or wheels are old and in great variety.

My invention consists of the brace-head and ratchet-wheel, in combination with a single reversible and spring-actuated pawl, adapted to reciprocate longitudinally, and also to rotate one-half of a revolution, and present its bevel and holding face to the ratchet-wheel, either as a right-hand or a left-hand pawl, as hereinafter described.

In the accompanying drawing, Figurel is a side elevation of the head of a ratchetbraee which embodies my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same, and Fig. 3 is a partial plan view and section on line or w of Fig. 1. I A

The bit-holder A may be of any ordinary construction. It is fitted so as to rotate in bearings within the head B of the brace C, and rigidly attached to its upper end is a ratchet-wheel, D, having straight-sided teeth, both sides of said teeth being the same.

In the upper part of the head B is a chamber extending at right angles to the axis of the ratchet-wheel D, within which chamber is a reciprocating pawl, a, and its spring I). The outer end of this pawl is beveled, while so much of one side as isv directly opposite this bevel is straight, as shown in Fig. 3.

At or near each end of the pawl a are journals c c, which fit the journal-bearings formed by the walls of the chamber in the head, so that the pawl may reciprocate longitudinally, and also make one-half of a revolution. The

spring b acts to continually throw the pawl toward the ratchet-wheel D.

At one end of the pawl, and projecting at right angles thereto, is a handle, (I, the same being so located with reference to the bevel that when said handle is thrown to the right,

bevel and holding face of the pawl, so as to present its straight side to the other side of the teeth in the ratchet-wheel.

When it is desired to fasten the bit-holder within the head for use as an ordinary brace, the slide E, which slides in a groove transversely to the axis of the bit-holder, may be -brought opposite the notch e in the head B,

and slid into the same to securely lock the parts together.

A small friction-spring may be placed under the slide E to prevent accidental displacement, or it may be fitted to slide snugly without a spring.

When the ratchetfeature of the brace is to be used again, the slide must be withdrawn.

I am aware that a ratchet-brace has been made having both a right-handed and a left handed pawl fitted in circular bearings, and having both a longitudinal and partial rotary movement, the latter being for the purpose of throwing the pawls into a position for fasten ing .them away from the ratchet-wheel, and

fied.

HUBERT G. HART. Witnesses CHARLES PECK, E. L. PRIOR. 

